Material handling apparatus



Dec. 26, 1950 c. H. ANDERSON MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-sheaf 1 Filed March 7, 1947 \NVENTOR CLIFFORD H. ANDERSON ATTORNEYS Dec.'-26, 1950 c. H. ANDERSON I 2,535,476

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March 7, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 38 2| 28 4| 24 u k 26 35\ 2 27 F\G. 2 43 I28 I? k 44 1 37 4 s2 4 49 A i i Q 59 54 A 33 58' |3| 3 .23 as 32 52 I I3 I09 FIG 3 i us 78 7 Q 30 1'" 79 9o 0 n2 7? l9/ H4 ll? H] "5 v INVENTOR I05 CLIFFORD H. ANDERSON l0 BY ATTORNEYS Dec. 26, 1950 c. H. ANDERSON I MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 7, 1947 v ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNI TED STAT ETS :oFFloE MATERIALHAYELING APPARATUS "Glifford'H. Anderson, Minneapolia' Minn.

Application March 7, 1947,;SerialNo..7.33,00.6

5 Claims. 1 My invention relates to material 'handlingap- 'paratus and Thasior an object to provide an, apjparatus'by means of which the contents of .conitainers maybe easily and conveniently removed therefrom.

,Another object ofthe invention resides in providing apparatus "byineans of which .a container having an opening at the topmaybeelevated and inverted .to discharge thecontents therefrom by gravity.

.An object of the invention resides in providing apparatus by means of which the .contents .of the container maybeiuniformlydischarged therefrom at any desired rate within certainlimits.

A .still further object .of the invention resides .in providing a support and a cradle pivoted to said support and on which the container is mounted.

.An object of the invention residesin providing lvalve meansadapted to close .theopening in the container .and ,by means of which the flowoof the material from the container may .be controlled.

Another object of the .invention resides in disposing the pivot .means for the cradle at such .a locality that when the cradle is in one position, apart of the same is at Jfioor level so that the container may bemountedthereon without'lifting the same.

.A ,still further object of the invention resides in disposing :said .pivot means with relation to .thecradle at such locality that when the cradle swung in .a manner toinvert the container the opening in the same will beabove .floor level.

vA feature of .the inventionresides .in providing .a housing having an opening therein and into which the :container ismoved when broughtinto :discharge position, said cradle .providinga closure fora portion of-the opening in saidhousing.

.Anobject of the invention resides in constructsing said support in the vform of a hollow base-and ,iin providing a hopper extending into said base ,.and receiving the material discharged .from the container.

.Another object of the invention residesin providing a-conveyer connected with said hopper for removing thetmaterial deposited-therein.

"2 In the drawings: N, i :1 s a side ,elevational view of a material handling apparatus illustrating an embodiment of my inventionand showing the apparatus partfly in section.

Y'Fig. '2 .is a planview of the structurejshowniih Fig. .1 and illustrating certain parts of "the same broken away.

'Fig. 3 ;is a fragmentary front .elevational view oftheostructure shown'inFig. .1 with portions of the transmission mechanism illustrated in section.

Fig. A Tisan ,eleva'tional sectional view taken ,;on line '.4.'4 ofIFig. .2 and drawn .to agreater scale.

.In .the .handlin g vof certain materials and par- 'ticularly chemicals of a hazardou nature, considerabledanger is involved, when the material is manually scooped out of the container "and deposited atlthe locality where the same is to "be used. Where caustic soda and similarjchemicals are employed theuser frequently is burned and .dust from the.chemicalcauses coughing and considerable discomfort. The instant. invention provides an apparatus by means of which the chemical :or other material contained in ,a container such as a .drum :may The discharged therefrom without the necessity :of the operator breathing .the. dust or fumes irom the chemical ,or material .ori'having .the same zcomefin contact with his per- .son, and .xwhereby ;any..amount of lthe material .may be deposited wherever thesame is .to Lbs used.

invention ,proper consists of a base 11!, a cradle .l l v.anda .housing H. The base ilifliorms .a support ,for the cradle ll and Lthe housing .12.

ilnaddition theretoatransmission .13 .is employed .bymeans of which the-cradle H may bemoved .irom a position in which .a container. may be. ap-

plied thereto to a position bringing the container .into .the housing and .from which position the ,material, contained within the container may be discharged therefrom. lllhese various parts .will

mow be described. indetail.

The base J?!) .is preferablyconstructed ,of sheet metal andiconsists of sidewalls and [15,.arear wall [6, and afront =.wa11.l.19. These walls have .securedto the upper .ends of the .same a top It! and the loweren'ds .o'fsaid walls have .attached. to

:them an angular frame LIB which stiffens .and reinforces the ,base and forms a .foot adapted ilto rest on thefioonon which-the apparatusis to'be :disposed. aCertainofithese various ,partsare pref ;erably ,formed integral and others welded .to-

igethenor .thezsamemay be. secured tooneanother .iniany wellknown manner.

.The housing J2 best .shown ,in Fig. ;2 cona H disposed in the space 25.

posed below the bearings 35 and 36 and are sethereto.

sists of side walls 2| and 22 and a back 23 disposed therebetween. These parts are preferably formed from a single sheet of material bent at the corners and are of such dimensions as to overlie the Walls l4, l5, and I6 of the base I0. The housing I2 is attached to the base ID by means of bolts 24 which extend through the walls of said housing at the lower ends of the same and through the walls l4, l5, and N of the base ID at localities near the top H. The walls 2| and 22 fall short of the forward ends of the walls I 4 and I5 to provide an angular space 25 between the housing 12 and the base It and in which certain portion of the invention are disposed. The upper end and the forward portion 2 of the housing are formed with an opening which is partially closed by means of a cover 26 which is hingedly connected to the rear wall 23 of said housing by means of hinges 21. This closure is adapted to rest on inturned flanges 28 formed on the upper ends of the walls 2| and 22 of the said housing.

The cradle consists of an elongated member 3| preferably constructed as a casting and which has welded to it a number of cleats 32. These cleats are arcuate in form and have welded to them a closure 39 which is constructed of sheet metal and which is also arcuate in form and which is adapted to form a closure for the forward portion of the housing l2 when the cradle is in the position shown in Fig. 2. The closure 39 has welded to it a number of longitudinally extending ribs 33 together with the cleats 32 whereby a rigid and substantial construction is provided.

The cradle is supported by a shaft 34. This .shaft is rotatably mounted in bearings 35 and 3B which are attached to the portion of the top Posts 39 are discured to the front wall IQ of the base I9 by means of bolts 4. Shaft 34 has welded to it three braces 31 which in turn are welded to the outer surface of the closure 39. .By means of this construction the cradle H is carried by the shaft 34 and may be turned upon rotation of the said shaft. The bearings 35 are so located Figs. 2 and 4 to be disposed above the top l1 and base l0.

The apparatus of my invention is designed ("particularly for use in conjunction with a container such as a drum 4| best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings. This container has a cylindrical wall 42 and a bottom 43 secured The bottom 43 is recessed to form a rim 44 extending about the wall 42. The upper end of the container 4| has an annular member The said annular member has an opening 47 extending through it and by means of which communication with the interior of the container may be had. The

said opening is surrounded by a flange 48 which is adapted to receive a cover not shown and by means of which the container may be closed.

The lower end of the elongated member 3| is formed with a hook 49 which is disposed at the lower most portion of the same. Thi hook is best shown in full lines in Fig. 2 and in the dotted line position of the cradle in Fig, 4. The said hook 43 when the cradle is in its lowermost position is at floor level and is adapted to engage the rim 44 of the container 4|. In applying the container to the cradle the same is rolled over toward the cradle and the container raised sufiiciently to bring the rim 44 above the said hook. The container may then be lowered and the lower end of the said container becomes supported by the hook 4i} and the elongated member 3|.

At the upper end of the cradle H is provided a valve structure I by means of which the discharge of the material from within the container 4| may be controlled. This valve structure includes a hood 52 which is conical in form and which is adapted to rest upon the annular member of the container 4| and to close the same. The said hood has a hinge 53 secured to the same and which is also attached to the upper end of the elongated member 3|. The said hood has secured to the opposite marginal portion of the same a clamp 54 which includes a rigid jaw 55 adapted to engage the inner surface of the rim 45 of the container 4|. The said clamp further includes a bracket 56 which is threaded to receive a clamp screw 5'! which in turn is adapted to engage the cylindrical wall 42 of the container 4| inwardly of the rim 45. When the valve structure 5| is properly applied the open.- ing 4? in the container 4| is closed and the said valve structure becomes rigidly attached to the container. The said valve structure also serves to attach the upper end of the container to the cradle The cleats 32 have arcuate notches 58 cut in the same which are adapted to engage the outer surface of the wall 42 of the container and which hold the same from lateral movement. It will thus be readily contemplated that when the clamp 54 is attached to the container 4| and the said container engages the hook 49 that the container is rigidly mounted on the cradle.

The hood 52 of the valve structure 5| has two segmental shaped openings 59 in the lower portion of the same which are separated by intervening legs 8|. These legs are connected together at their lower ends by means of a cross 7 head 52 which may be formed integral with the said legs or may be welded thereto. The valve A structure 5| further includes a valve member 63 which is constructed of sheet metal and which has two conical parts 54 adapted to overlie the outer surface of the hood i2 and to close the openings 59 therein. The said valve member is constructed with a connecting portion which connects the two conical parts 54 together. A bolt 65 extends through the cross head 62 and the connectin portion 55 and supports the valve member 53 for rotation with respect to the hood 52. By means of this construction the valve member 63 may rotate with reference to the hood 52 to open or close the openings 58 in said hood. The upper ends of the conical part 64 of the valve member 63 are guided for rotational movement by a guide 56 attached to the hood 52 at the locality of the upper edges of the openings 59. A handle 5'! is attached to the valve member 63 and by means of which the same may be rotated to operate the valve structure.

Within the base I!) is situated a hopper 68.

;-hopper consi'sts of a sheet (of metal-which gis i-bent Al-shaped Bin form "having :a ;.srounded etrough-like portioniliil at itsrcenterlan'd two sides 1''! marine outwardly therefrom. The sides :l'l

meet the walls 14 of the .base all! and are cut wall 12. This shelf providesga compartment :14 2.

.ratthe upper portion sof the :base .l-ll :and which icommunicates withithe interior il5.=-of ithe hopper 58. Within the interior io'f1the :base I randabelow ithe *hopper 8 and shelf .13 "is :tormed accompaniiment 10 in which -.cer.ta'in :portions of :th'e .inven- :t-ion aretdisposed. 'Thezhandle GTilS disposed in the compartment 14. The compartment :114 is aaccessible from .the exterior through an opening 1:6 in the wall .=l'9 :of base am which :-is normally zclosedrby meansof a door 1. 1 hingedlyrconnected i :to the -'wall 5.139, :by means -l0f :hinges 218. :Ailatch #19 holdsathe door in closing position. ,The .:ope.n :ing 1.6 also afiords the operator :a view zof :the interior 0f :the hopper "-6.8 when the :Jdoor z'lzl is open, as well .as allowing him to manipulate ithehandleijfil. Initheiupper most portion .f0f'1'1h8 top 1'! of base 3) isforme'dianopeningvlw which .zrec'eiye's the valve structure 15! and .:allows the same to extend into the interior E5 of thejhop- ,z-Eor the purpose of :removing 'the :material .dis-

{charged into the "hopperi68 :therefroma conveye1' ""81 is employed. This 'conveyer utilizes .-a tube :82 which liesain zthe troughelike portion .69 ref :hopper 168 l and which is welded :thereto. The :said tube has an inlet opening -I2-9 awhifih comzmunicates with the interior .45 of the hop er 16:5. A portion 8,3 of said tube extends beyond 'the wall 1.2 of hopper .68 and into the compartment 1:10 inbase 411. The ;t1ib.e 132 extends through the gear wall -16 rot "base SID aa'mi mrojects upwardly and outwardly beyond the apparatusifor ;a considerable distance. FIlhe tube 82 receives a screw flight 84. This flight is mounted on a shaft 85 which extends below the lower most end of the .portion 83 .of tube .82 and which enters a transmission contained within a case-{86. .This transmission case is disposed within compartment '10, and is mounted'upon' the'end8 3 of the tube 82 and attached thereto in any desirable manner.

This case rotatably supports a zcounter-isha-fit 8'i jj'ourn'aled in .suitable bearings iiormejd in .;.said =.case. .The said counter-shah: carries a wormi88 which meshes with a wormwheel 89 secured to .'.the shaft '85.

"The counter-shaft. is .driven in the iollo'wing r-z-manner. Attached to the case 88 is '.a ibracket 'i 9 l :which has hingedly connected-Ito it ataoneiend ta mounting .92 .for an electric motor 'ifllhe :motor 93 "is controlled hymeans of 94 :suitable switch 99'&tt&0hd to-;the;wal1;l:4 of the base 10. The said motor is bolted to a mounting 92 by means of bolts 94. The motor 93 may be moved toward and from the transmission case 86 by means of an adjusting screw 95 which is pivoted to a lug 96 attached to the bracket 9|. The screw 95 passes through the mounting 92. Two nuts 9'! and 98 engaging the said mounting on opposite sides serve to move the said mounting relative to the case 86, and to adjust the distance :between the :drive shaft 98 :of i$h6.;1110t01 and the countershaft 81. ibelt toil passes-peer *a pulley 112 :on SbhB smotor shaft:;-.99 and another 'pulley 03 :on the icounter-zshaft 81.. These pulleys may Joe =Jof "the type which vary .inidiame'ter upon variation in thexspacing :of Ether-same whereby "a variable speed sdrive fis 'gpro'cured tfor the .iconveyer, 118 i Access to the motor33 :an'd ithe transmission case ll 6 which are both=disposed'withinscompart- 1-ment'1-0 may be had through en-opening 4 .0.4 the front wall I 9 of'the #base all]. Thisopening is closed by means of a icl'osure me which overlies the said wan upon 'the exterior theneof. Two c'l'ips roe attached to-said closure :enga'ge athe edge M! :of wall l S at the ilowermost zportion of the opening T04 and hin gedly connect saidelosure zto the-base. ?A-31a;tch 2118B molds the upper end 0f the closure attached to ithe [9.

For the purpose :of rritating the shaft ;34 the following construction is employed. .iattaiched to said shaft exteriorly of the wall :22 :of mousing l2 is-aspur-gear I89. "This=spur gearzmesh'es with a spur *pinion -l l l rotatabl'y 'moun'te'd on a .tstub shaft F2. The said stub shaft is :attachedrto iac-asting"H 3which is welded to-Lthepost iiii near- -"est"wall T5. The pinion 'l'l l has 'cas'teintegra'lly with it a #spur *gear t l- 5 which *meshes with :29. spur=pinion I Hi rotatably imounted"on theaestreme -end-'o'f "the ss'haft 34. This gear has :attached to -it a-'crank I"? 'by'meansof which the i sa-me inlay be -=rotated. cap AI I' B screwed into the end oi the shaft 34 holds the pinion I I6 in placeatheiteon.

in order 'to hold the shaft in :adjustedzposition apawl M 9 is employed which is --.provided with "two teeth HI and 4-22 adapted to :engage :the teethof the spur gear l 5. 'pawl'iisipivoted *ona stud 123 secured to the wall 15 0f base all] and is "provided with a handle 124 ;by means of which the same may be manipulated. An over- "cen'ter spring 125 acts betweenithepawlil lifl "and a lug +26 pivoted to the wall l5 and niain'tains either of the teeth 12! or 4 22 "in operative :relationship with reference tto "the teeth of the gear H5.

The various gears 199, M1, M5, and #1115 are protected by means of a guard I21 attached :ito the 'walls 22 and "P5 of the housing 42 and athe "base "I 11,.respectivly.

"lows: The crank H! is rotated until the cradle occupies the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. '4. ".The drum whose contents'is' to be re- "moved therefromds next rolled over toward the cradle andthe'far edge 'ofthes'ame raised sufficiently to bring the lip 44 of *said drum above the hook 49. The drum or container is then lowered until the said lip is "properly engaged by the book. The cover "for the opening *4"? of the container is *next'removed. The .valve structure 51 includingfthe hood 52 isnextswung about tithe "hinge 53 until the same overlies the upper portion of "the container and 'until said hood .rests .upon .the annular member '45. The con- 'tainer is next moved toward "the cradle until the wall 42 engagesthe notches "58 inthe-cleats 32. The clamp "54-is next applied and the screw "51 tightened which clamps the 'upper 'end of the wall 42 of the said container at the locality of the rim 46 to the cradle. The container is then rigidly attached to the cradle. The crank H1 is then manipulated which causes shaft 34 to rotate and the cradle H is moved from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 to that shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. During such movement the container 4! is moved through the opening in the front and top thereof and into the housing 52. As the container 4| approaches its inverted position the rim 44 of the same engages the cover 26 of the housing 12 and raises the same. When the container 4| is completely received within said housing as shown in Fig. 1, the cover 26 drops down to normal position resting upon the-flanges 28. Closure 39 then closes the forward portion of the opening in the housing. To, close the portion of the housing l2 forwardly of the cover 25, a plate 29 is employed which is attached to the lower end of the closure 39. This plate fits up against the forward edge of the closure 23 and fits around the container 4!. The container 4! is then totally enclosed within the housing l2. With the parts sodisposed the door fl is opened and the handle 6'! manipulated .to rotate the valve member This causes the material within the container diwhich had flowed into the hood 52 during inversion of the said container to flow through the openings 59 in said hood and into the interior I of the hopper 63. Upon the manipulation of the switch the conveyer Si is operated and the material to be discharged from the container is delivered at the upper end of the tube 82. Adjustment of the nuts 9? and 98 controls the rate of discharge. A spout i3l is connected to the upper end of the said tube and discharges by gravity the material delivered by the conveyer 8! into a receptacle disposed below the same.

The advantages of the invention are manifest. The device is extremely simple in construction and efiicient in operation. The dangers ennew and desire to protect by Letters Patent 1'. In material handling apparatus, a support, a cradle, means on said cradle for securing thereto a container, pivot means between said cradle and support for guiding the cradle for movement to elevate the container, a housing on said support for the reception of said container and having an opening therein, and extending along the front and top of the housing and through D which the container may pass, a cover hinged to said housing and normally closing a portion of the opening in the top of the housing, said container upon entering the housing, engaging the cover and raising the same to permit pas- I sage into the housing, and a closure on said cradle closing a portion of said opening at the front of the housing when the container is in elevated position.

2. In material handling apparatus a support, a cradle, means on said cradle for securing thereto a container having an opening at the upper .portion of the same, a conical hood adapted to overlie said opening and close the same, said hood having an opening therein extending along an element of the same, a valve member pivoted to said hood at the apex thereof and rotatable to cover or uncover said opening, means acting between said cradle and support for raising and inverting said container, and a hopper carried by said support and positioned below said hood when the container is inverted to receive the material discharged therefrom through said opening in the hood.

3. In material handling apparatus, a support, a cradle, means on said cradle for securing thereto a container having an opening at the upper portion of the same, valve means for closing said opening, means acting between said cradleand support for raising and inverting said container and a hopper carried by said support and positioned below said valve means when the container is inverted to receive the material discharged therefrom, and a conveyor connected to said hopper.

4. In material handling apparatus, a support, a cradle, means on said cradle for securing thereto a container having an opening at the upper portion of the same, valve means for closing said opening, means acting between said cradle and support for raising and inverting said container and a hopper carried by said support and positioned below said valve means when the containor is inverted to receive the material discharged therefrom, said hopper having an inclined portion and a conveyer extending along said inclined portion.

5. In material handling apparatus, a support, a cradle, means on said cradle for securing thereto a container having an opening at the upper portion of the same, valve means for closing said opening, means acting between said cradle and support for raising and inverting said container and a hopper carried by said support and positioned below said valve means when the container is inverted to receive the material discharged therefrom, said hopper having two converging walls forming an inclined trough therebetween, and a conveyer disposed in and extending along said trough.

CLIFFORD H. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 780,938 Clarke Jan. 24, 1905 984,951 Macon Feb. 21, 1911 1,018,862 Ayres Feb. 27, 1912 1,108,944 Tannenbaum Sept. 1, 1914 1,181,350 Seburn i May 2, 1916 1,226,588 Perry May 15, 1917 1,305,087 Galloway May 27, 1919 1,822,530 Kind Sept. 8, 1931 1,909,536 Hoke May 16, 1933 2,059,135 Moe Oct. 27, 1936 2,345,074 Sargent et a1 Mar. 28, 1944 

